The Effects of Oxycodone Versus Sufentanil on Pain and Inflammatory Response After TACE

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is currently considered as the treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Due to sudden blockage of the main blood vessels supplying the tumor, local liver tissue swells and the tumor rapidly necroses. A large number of inflammatory mediators, including white blood cell (WBC) count, C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6), will inevitably appear in TACE induced ischemic and/or necrotic tissue reactions, which contribute to the development of pain. Pain can worsen the patient's quality of life, prolong hospital stay, and increase costs. 93% of patients require opioid therapy during and after TACE.

Opioids are the most common drugs for treating pain. There are three types of opioid receptors, μ Receptors κ Receptors and δ Receptors. Sufentanil is a highly selective drug μ Receptor agonists have fast onset and strong analgesic effects. However, sufentanil is not as effective as Oxycodone in relieving visceral pain. Oxycodone not only activates μ receptors, also occupying κ receptors, alleviate visceral ischemic pain and inflammatory reactions.

In addition to the type of medication, the administration time can also affect perioperative pain. Preemptive analgesia refers to the intervention of pain relief before nociceptive stimuli to suppress the progression of stress states and central sensitization.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥18 years;
• Presence of histologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma (fulfilling the criteria for lesions with typical imaging);
• Presence of Child-Pugh class A or B disease;
• Absence of benefit from a treatment of established efficacy such as resection and local ablation;
• ECOG:0-2.

Exclusion criteria

• Extrahepatic metastasis and/or microvascular invasion;
• Severe liver and kidney dysfunction;
• Uncontrolled or significant cardiovascular disease; Autoimmune hepatitis; Long term use of opioids, steroid hormones, and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Abnormal elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP); Increased white blood cells (>11000/mm3); Study Drugs allergy; Patients who were treated within 4 weeks after COVID-19 infection was diagnosed.